Knit-fabric pressing machine



May 2.9, 1928.

G. A. MATTERN KNIT FABRIC PRESSING MACHINE ATTORNEYS.'

May 29, 1928. 1,671,646

G. A. MATTERN KNIT FABRC PRESSING MACHINE 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 15 .Fig

yFiled L8 IN VEN TOR.

wf b lfmw BY /Qav/ rM- ATTORNEY:

` Patented May 29, 1928.

1,611,646 PATENTN OFFICE.

GEORGE A. MATTERN, oF BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA.

KNIT-mimic rar-:seme MACHINE.

applicati@ ined my 11, 1927. serial No. 204,935.

My invention relates to pressing machines. It is especially adapted for *and is intended` to be used upon knit fabrics, the essential Object in this use being to produce asmooth and finished surface, by fixing and setting the stitches so that the fabric Vmay be safely cut into garments. The machine is not, however, confined to this use, since `it maybe 'employed with efficiency to press and ive the final finish to the garments themse ves, made from said knit fabric, as, for example, athing-suits. f Knit fabric, whether made of wool or other fibres, curls up at the cut edges when the material is cut in pattern for a garment. In order to prevent the curling of the cut edges, the custom has been to lay a piece f muslin over the knit fabric, moisten the muslin with a sponge and then use a heated flat iron for pressure, thereby steaming and setting the stitches in such a way that they will not curl when cut.

This method inhandling knit fabric is not only very slow, but is quite laborious l and involves considerable expense in labor,

. besides the inconvenience to the operator in Abeing obliged to work in close proximity to a hot stove on heated.

The main object of my invention is to reach the desired end in a more eiicient manner as well as more expeditiously and ata which the fiat-irons are lower cost, said object being attained by a machine in which is incorporated steam, heat, and pressure, with the result that all knit fabric passed through it is in a fit condition to be cut and afterwards sewed together with lthe least diiliculty.

Furthermore, Aafter a knit garment has gone through all the operations necessary to complete it, it becomes more or less creased and ruffled, necessitating special treatment to make it presentable and attractive to the consumer. This treatment has usually been one in which the garment is put in a vertically operated compress,` an operation involving considerable time and expense. j Another object of my invention is to provide a machine which will receive and pass through a finished garment, and deliver it in a very slick and smooth condition ready to be placed in the paper box especially designed for it. j

In the accompanying drawings, I have illustrated my machine in its preferred form,

i6 4being understood that j changes `may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the.v invention asdefined in the claims hereunto appended.

In the drawings Fig. 1 is a side elevationof my machine.

Fig. 2 is a plan of the same.

Fig. `3 is an elevation taken from the sideA opposite to that of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view showing the course of the endless traveling aprons through it. j

1 is a stand supporting a frame in one or more sections here shown for convenience merely, as two, the numeral 2 indicating the receiving end frame, and 3 designating the deliveryend-frame. i

In the front portion of the frame 2 are mounted for rotation two hollow metal rolls one above the other, the lower roll 4 being fixed as tovertical movement and the upper `one 5 being `carriedy in sliding boxes 6 suslpended by screw stems 7 fitted with nuts 8,

`ment in a horizontal plane, as indicated by the slotted guides 10a and 11'* Figs. 1 and 2. VIn its rear portion the frame 2 carries a pair of tightener rolls 12 and 13, below and above, respectively. These rolls are adjustable being mounted in sliding boxes 14 and 15 respectively, the adjustment being effect ed by means of screws 16. Each end of each roll 12 and13 has a sliding box, and these are connected for unitary movement by means of a. cross shaft 17 and bevel gears 18.

At one side is afhand wheel 19 which through a bevel gear train 20 is adapted to j operate the adjusting screws `1.6 of one/side,

their'imovement being transmitted through the cross other side.

The frame 2 also carries at its extreme rear a pair of vertically aligned guide rolls 21 and 22. lower and upper, respectively.

In the frame 3 is carried a vertically aligned final or 'delivery .pair of hollow Inet-a1 rolls 23 and 24, lower and upper, re.

shaft 17 to thescrews 16 on the spectively. The lower roll 23 is fixed as to vertical movement, but the upper roll 24 is vertically adjustable being carried in sliding boxes 25 suspended by screws 26 fitted with nuts 27. Thus the inter-roll space may be regulated.

n account oit the adjustment of the roll 24. certain adjustable associated tightener rolls are required. These rolls are designated by 28 and 29, carried by small frames 30 which include the boxes 25, said frames being fitted with sliding `:boxes 31 controlled by springs 32 and adjusted by hand screws 33. Thus the tightener rolls move with the adjustment of the boxes v `to preserve their relation for guiding and they have their individual adjustment Jfor tightening function.

ln order to apply increased pressure fund tion to the rolls 23 and 24 other than is provided by gravity, it' such be necessary, there are levers 34 pi'voted to arms 35 ot the frame 3. and connected with the small frames at 36. Springs 3T are connecter] with said levers 34 and chains 3S extend down to a hand wheel 39.

The fraine 3 carries, in front of the pressure roll 23, a guide roll 40, and below said pressure roll itcarries a guide roll 41, while behind said roll it carries a Aguide roll 42, these three rolls being fixed.

By reference to Fig. 4, the positional relation ot' all the pressure rolls, guide rolls, and tgh-tener rolls will be clearly seen. Also Y the course of 'the carrying aprons will be best seen from said Fig. 4. There are two of these aprons, in the form of endless belts, the lower apron 43 and the upper apron 44. The lower apron 43 enters the roll system over the top of the lower pressure roll 4; thence to and over the guide roll 40, and down between said roll and the pressure roll 23; thence around and over said roll 23 and between it and the pressure roll 24; thence over said roll 24 and down tothe guide 'roll 42; thence to the guide roll 41, and to and over the guide roll v21; thence to the ,guide rolls 12 and 10 and finally to and under and around the pressure roll 4 to the point of beginning. The upper apron 44 enters the roll system under the pressure roll 5 and extends upon and parallel with the lower apron 43 to and about the guide roll 40, pressure rolls 23 and 24. Over the top of the pressure roll 24, said upper apron diverges from the lower apron; thence passes to the tightener rolls28 and 29, and to the guide roll 22; thence to the tightener roll 13, down to the guide roll 11 and iinally to and around the pressure roll 5 to the point of beginning.

Although all the pressure rolls 4, 5, 23 and -24, may be heated, by any suitable means. I have oundin practice that only the delivery pair 23 and 124 need be heated.

For the sake of example, merely, I have indicated as one form of heatin means, the cock-controlled gas and air pipes 45 and 46, respectively, leading to burners 47 within said rolls 23 and 24, and the fan blower 48, Fig. 3, for the air. In the feed table 9 is nludc a slot 49 with which a steam pipe 50 communicates. At the delivery end of the machine, the frame 3 carries an inclined delivery table 51. Y

Power is applied by `a motor 52, Fig. 3, and is led into the machine by a shaft 53 with fly Wheel 54. A worm 55 of said shaft 53 meshes with a worm gear 56 on a .counter shaft 5T, which, thro h bevel gears 58, transmits motion to as aft 59, carrying,` a gear 60. This gear meshes with a gear 61 on a shaft 62, which carries at each end a.l

worm `63, meshing with worm pinions 64 on the shafts of the lower pressure rolls 4 and 23. These rolls have gears 65 which mesh with gears ('36 on the corresponding upper rolls 5 and 24. The connection of the two shafts 59 and 62. through the gears 60 and (il, though here shown as one speed transmission, may be of a multispeed charu actor if desired. l

The fan 48 is driven from the shaft 59 through the counter shaft 57, a pulley 67 thereon, a belt 68 and a pulley 69 on the fan shaft.

The operation of the machine is as fol. lows zf The goods to be pressed, say, for example, knitted fabric, for which use I have pri` marily intended and used the machine, is placed upon the table 9, and is fed to the aprons 43 and 44 between which it ris carried forward to and between the initial pressure rolls 4 and 5. While upon and passing over the table 9, the fabric is moistened by steam .from pipe 50 passing through the slot 49 in the table. By the rolls 4 and 5, which, as hereinabove stated, may or may not be heated, the abrieis pressed Hat and partially deprived of its moisture.

It is thence `carried forward by and be-y tween the aprons 43 and 44, whiclndue to the tortuous path imposed upon them by the several guide and tightener rolls are kept taut, thereby insuring',r the fiatness of the fabric. When the aprons with the intervening fabric reach the final or delivery llll ,pair of pressure rolls 23 and 24, the course taken about and between them is, as shown. in the form ot the letter S. which course has been found to be very effective, both as to tension, elect and flattening pressure; but. particularly as to the extent of heated roll 'surface .to which the fabric is subjected, and the reversal of said `fabric to heat bothsides. Due to this sinuous course, the full effect of the heated rolls 23 and 24 is obtained. and the fabric is thus fully pressed and dried.

As the aprons divergev over the top of the roll 24, the fabric, i'elicved from the upper apron7 is guided by the descending lower apron, to and upon the delivery table l. The fabric is not herein shown, but the two arrows in F ig. 4 will indicate its entrance to and departure from the traveling aprons. The angular adjustment of' the rolls 10 and l1 serves to keep the aprons in a straight path. j

I claim :w-

l. A knit-fabric pressing machine coinpi'ising an initial pair of rotatable oppose ing pressure rolls; a table in advance of said rolls for directing the fabric thereto; means associated with said table for directing steam upon the fabric thereon to moisten it; a final pair of rotatable opposing pressure rolls; means for heating said final rolls; a pair of endless travelingr aprons entering between the initial iolls in superposed relation adapted to receive between them the moistened fabric from the table, said aprons thence proceeding in said relation with the fabric between them to and about the heated final. pressure rolls in a course which carries them under, between and over said rolls in anv S shape path; means for adjusting said heated final rolls to initially define the pressure space between them; other independently operable means for varying said space during opera-` tion to increase or diminish at will the pressure upon the passing fabric; guide rolls.

for separating said aprons beyond said final rolls to free the fabric; otherguide rolls including a pair of aingularly adjustable rolls for directing said aprons separately and straight to said initial rolls; and tightpurpose, an endless,

traveling apron; an initial pair of rotatable opposing pressure rolls between j which said a ron enters; a final pair of rotatable pai-al el pressure rolls, about which said apron passes; movable journal members carrying one of `said final rolls adapting it for adjustment toward and away :from the other final roll; another roll parallel and adjacent to said adjustable final roll for guiding said apron as it leaves said filial roll; and journal members for said other roll, adjustably carried by the first mentioned journal members.

3. In a machine for the described purpose, an endless, traveling apron; an initial pair of rotatable opposing pressure rolls between which said apron enters; a final rotatable pressure roll; a second final pressure roll parallel and adjacent to the'first final roll; movable journal members for the Second final roll adapting it for movement toward and away from the first final roll; an apron guide roll parallel and adjacent to the second final roll; journal members n for the guide roll adjustably carried. by the journal members of the second filial roll adapting said guide roll for movement toward and away from said second final roll; means for independently moving the journal members ofthe second final roll and the guide roll; and means for moving the said journal members in unison.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

GEORGE A. MATTERN. 

